https://www.reddotrepair.com
Jadon Rosario worked on my M4 when he was a technician at Advance Camera in Portland, OR. I don't know what his turn around times are but it's worth a quote.
Few repair people will JUST fix the rangefinder -- the problem is that whenever they open the camera up they immediately become responsible for how it works when you get it back, so they will insist on doing a full service even if all you want is the rangefinder fixed.
An M4 is about 40 years old and a good service is well worth the cost. It will last you the rest of your life, if not longer.
I'm a bit discouraged from that price point and confused how it came to be such a costly repair that costs more than a new one in a better condition. I'm relatively new to the Rangefinder and Leicas, so any advice would be appreciated. Would I even be able to sell it?
I'm sure $1800 will include a full service as well. The policy is to cover Leica based on the fact that amateurs may say the fault is one thing, but it turns out to be something else, so whichever it is the customer is sure to get back a camera that can go on for another three decades (unless you drop it again). This is the value in buying a camera with a warranty and which has already been serviced at somebody else's expense. If it's a very ugly camera sell it for parts and put the money towards another one in better condition, or pay Leica, or DAG, but not somebody who says they will just repair the viewfinder because quite frankly they can't know until they open it up all the things that could need doing.
Leica has a two year warranty on new cameras.
You get an additional 1 year of warranty if you register the camera online.
Great! You also get three complementary digital issues of Leica Fotografie International magazine, a Є12.25 value.
so...totally worth it.
is it wise or unwise
The OP said he bought the camera to use, not to wear as a badge! It wouldn’t matter whether anyone else recognised the brand. And he wanted one that was not so smart that he would be reluctant to use it.I don’t quite understand the OP’s desire to buy a “beater” in the first place. A Leica would only be recognized by a very tiny part of population...such as readers of photrio. Most of the contemporary population has no idea that film is available, let alone recognize a Leica.
You can’t protect the rangefinder except with an all-encompassing Never Ready case. I sympathise with anyone who wants the camera to be ready at all times.The lessons to be learned here: buy one in the best condition you can find (but still be prepared to have camera serviced); carry camera in some kind of case (my cameras have survived drops, falls, and bangs while in some kind of case); watch your step.
It would always count as "wise" to get a camera given a once-over if it hasn't been serviced in a long (or unknown) time. Whether or not that would be necessary? depends on the camera itself and if anything was wrong. A professional, though, needs their tools operating properly and as-expected, so getting them serviced regularly is preventative medicine - although a lot of cameras are getting reaching an age that part-failure can occur at any time and won't necessarily be anticipated or prevented by a service.
I'd only get a camera serviced if the value of the camera was considerably more than the price of the service. As in, I wouldn't get a Nikon F2 fixed, but I'd get a Leica M4 fixed. And I'd only get a camera I wanted to regularly use fixed. ... And there would need to be something obviously wrong with it. But I'm not a professional.
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